My Life in PICTURES

MARY’S BOY IS ALL GROWN UP AS THE FUTURE KING OF DENMARK TURNS 18

- Kylie Walters

Just hours after his birth in 2005, a 21-gun salute rang out through the streets of Copenhagen to mark the arrival of Prince Christian. And when the Danish royal turns 18 on October 15, it will be celebrated with even more fanfare.

Aristocrats from around the world will open the jewel vault to look their best as they gather at Christiansborg Palace for a gala dinner to toast the second-in-line to the Danish throne. While the teen will one day reign over one of the oldest surviving constitutional monarchies in the world, despite it being on the other side of the world, we can lay some claim to him thanks to his Australian heritage.

Christian has been a regular visitor to our shores from the time he was a toddler, thanks to his mum. While the main reason has been to get to know Crown Princess Mary’s Aussie relatives, he was also delighted by the local koalas during a visit to Bonorong Wildlife Park in 2006.